On Thursday 7 May 2026, all people living in Wales who are over the age of 16 (and who have registered to vote) will be able to vote to elect a new Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament). This is an historic election as it will be the first election since the passing of the Sennedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 which has increased the number of MSs from 60 to 96, as well as changing the voting system to a proportional system.
Wales is an interesting case study as alongside the ‘Big Three’ we are familiar with in Westminster, smaller parties also have had significant electoral success and are looking to gain seats thanks to the new proportional system. Studying the various manifestos allows us to see what commonalities there are across all parties but also how devolved nations’ priorities may vary from those in general elections.
Labour: ‘A New Chapter for Wales’
Labour has historically been the largest and most successful party in Wales but its dominance has been shaken by large gains made by smaller parties such as Plaid Cymru as well as dissatisfaction from Welsh voters due to core institutions such as the Welsh NHS and schools in Wales underperforming compared to their English counterparts in several measures. Welsh Labour states that its manifesto offers a ‘bold and hopeful plan for a new chapter in Wales.’ after ‘years of challenges,’ such as the Covid-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. They focus on the NHS and lowering living costs as well as emphasising ‘fairness,’. These are very similar themes to those of the central Labour party currently governing in Westminster.
Conservatives: ‘Fix Wales: Our Plan to Get Wales Working’
The Welsh Conservatives have not had the history of dominance that their Westminster counterparts have enjoyed throughout the twentieth century but they are hoping that more proportional voting will increase their seats in the Senedd. Their manifesto strongly focuses on economic improvement, aiming to ‘rocket-boost,’ the economy through, amongst other policies) cutting business rates on small businesses and cutting taxes on families as well as extending free childcare and encouraging investment in Wales. They also focus on improving the NHS, in line with Labour and Plaid Cymru. However, it is interesting to note that the Welsh Conservatives often lay the blame for the underperformance of Wales on the doorstep of both Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour.
Liberal Democrats: ‘Fair Deal for Wales’
In line with the other parties, the Lib Dems in Wales focus on improving and protecting the NHS through cutting waiting times (a theme common to all manifestos) and improving social care. They also promise to extend free childcare to help tackle the cost of living as well as to support local businesses and the local economy. However, where they differ significantly from the other parties is their focus on the environment through policies such as free public transport for under 25s, ending the dumping of sewage along the expansive Welsh coastline and opposing plans from other parties to encourage fracking in Wales.
Reform UK: ‘Put Wales First’
Reform UK has enjoyed a lot of media headlines and news stories in Wales, particularly around the October 2025 Caerphilly by-election and it is hoping to use this attention to propel its candidates to seats in the Senedd. In line with their Westminster counterpart, Reform UK focuses on limiting immigration and removing the ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ scheme to help asylum seekers. Similarly to the Conservatives, Reform UK’s Welsh manifesto promises to lower business costs and to boost Welsh business. They also promise to cut 1p from each tax band by the end of their term in government. Reform UK are also clearly targeting Plaid Cymru’s traditional rural stronghold by aiming to win votes in agricultural areas through promising to ‘let farmers farm,’. Reform UK also promises to focus on the NHS and improve various metrics such as waiting times.
Plaid Cymru: ‘New Leadership for Wales’
Plaid Cyrmu is a party that, long term, aims for Welsh independence although it has ruled this out as an objective in its first term in office, according to the BBC. Plaid Cymru has gained seats steadily in recent years and has expanded away from its traditional Welsh-speaking heartlands, with a significant win in the October 2025 by-election in Caerphilly. It has outlined a ‘First 100 Days’ plan if they gain control of the Senedd which focuses on themes such as improving the Welsh NHS, raising educational standards and a more ‘just Wales,’. So far, so Welsh Labour. However, Plaid Cymru are more bold in their manifesto, focusing specifically on enhancing Welsh culture, heritage, sport and arts as well as ‘Unleashing Wales’s economic potential,’ and using the ‘super-abundance of natural resources,’ to drive ‘rural resilience.’
Green Party: ‘You Have the Power’
The Green Party is using its manifesto to challenge the Labour predominance in both Westminster and Wales. They focus heavily in the manifesto on reducing the cost of living and taking power from ‘billionaires,’ and the traditional political parties who have left the Welsh people ‘ripped off,’. The manifesto promises to freeze council tax, replacing it with a land tax which they view as more progressive, bring in stricter regulations on landlords and implement universal childcare from nine months old. They also focus, along with the Lib Dems, on water pollution and cleanliness – something that is important in a nation with so much coastline. They are clear that the new electoral system will bring change to Wales and clearly hope to build on their recent successes in English by-elections and their large media presence.